Facility will help
convert city sewage

A Houston firm will use the
biosolids to make fertilizer pellets

---

Star-Bulletin staff

Houston-based Synagro Technologies has signed a contract with the city to build and run a facility at the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant to turn biosolids into marketable pellets.

The facility is expected to generate between $92 million and $144 million in revenues over the 15-year term of the contract.

City officials, however, did not respond yesterday to questions about the financial arrangement with Synagro, including how much of the revenues actually will go to city coffers.

Synagro Technologies will design, build and operate "a biosolid digestion, dewatering and heat-drying/pelletization facility" at Sand Island.

In essence, the plant converts biosolids, which now are sent to the landfill, into a commercial-grade organic fertilizer pellet that can be marketed by Synagro.

The facility is expected to be operational in late 2004 and will be able to process up to 10,000 dry tons of biosolids annually.

Mayor Jeremy Harris, in the release, said the city benefits because the Synagro facility will divert a good share of the island's garbage away from the Waimanalo Gulch Landfill and at the same time produce a high-quality fertilizer that will help reduce the island's dependence on imported oil.

Partners with Synagro include GMP and Associates, Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co., Andritz-Ruthner Inc. and Chicago Bridge & Iron Co.